Warp-tension-regulating device for looms



(No Model.)

A. D. EMERY. WARP TENSION REGULATING DEVICE FOR LOOMS. No. 443,612. Patented Dec. 30, 18-90.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

AER-AM D. EMERY, OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WARP-TENSION-REGULATING DEVICE FOR LOOMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,612, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed May 31,1889. 'Serial No. 312,828. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:,

Be it known that I, ABRAM D. EMERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taunton,

' to simultaneouslyform two paths or openings side by side; and it consists of certain novel devices for maintaining an exactly even tension on all the chain-threads at all times. The difficulty encountered in forming simulta: neously two paths in the chain-threads arises from the fact that the distance from the chainroll to the cloth along the line of the extended threads is longer than the distance between the same points along the line of the center threads. This is a situation that mustnecessarily occur whenever the chain-threads come from a single roll or from several rolls so arranged that the distance from the roll to the cloth along the line of the chain is unequal in the two positions of such chain. The condition may otherwise be defined as existing when the two paths have one side in common, or when the two adjacent sides are exactly or practically coincident-that is, are approximately in a common plane from the tension device to the points of the formation of the fabrics. This causes the middle or center side to be shorter than the two outsides. This situation does not occur, for example, in a loom organized as described in my patent, No. 415,139, dated November 12,1889, wherein two paths or openings are formed side by side; but the two halves of the'chain-threads come from separate rolls located at a sufficient distance apart, so that the two halves are each shed precisely as a single set of threads is shed without having a common side either actually or approximately.

The situation does occur in the looms described, respectively, in my patents, Nos. 415,149, 415,156, 415,157, 415,158, and 415,159, all dated November 12, 1889, which present special applications of the devices forming the subject of my present invention.

It is essential to successful weaving that the chain-threads, which are slightly elastic, shall be subjected to a certain strain for the purpose of producing thedesired closeness of texture, without which the fabric would be a mere net-work or loose mesh, and when two paths or openings are made in the chainthreads, whether for the purpose of weaving two fabrics of the same texture or two parts of a single fabric or a single fabric of double Weight, as explained in my various applications referred to, it is essential to a uniform result that there shall be precisely the same strain on all the chain-threads. This object can only be attained by causing the chainthreads to interact upon each other instantly and automatically,whereby the undue strain on any threads is at once transmitted to the threads that are unduly slack until the strain is equalized.

My invention therefore consists, broadly, in tension-equalizing devices operatin gin conjunction with shedding mechanism adapted to form two sheds or paths in the chainthreads with a practically common side, or a common side as herein defined as distinguished from two independent paths. The only essential feature of such a device is that it shall be responsive to the strain of the extended threads and shall instantly transmit such strain to the threads in the two adjacent sides.

In the drawings I have illustrated one form of such a device as applied to a loom organized to weave two plain one-ply fabrics side by side; but such form of loom forms no part of my present invention, which is confined solely to the tension-equalizing device, which is equally applicable to different forms of looms, as explained in the applications above referred to.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 represent the two sheddings employed to form the two fabrics side by side, which are plain one-ply goods. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the equalizing-levers drawn upon a larger scale than the other figures for more clearlyillustrating the fact that the said levers are made interacting by being gearedto each other.

The numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4 indicate the chain-threads, 1 and 2 being the chain-threads which form the fabric on the side R, and 3 and 4 being the chain-threads which form the ICO fabric on the side ll. The heddle 11. governs the thread 1, the heddle 12 governs the thread 2, the heddle governs the thread 3, and the heddle 11: governs the thread 4.

Numeral 9 indicates the reed.

The shuttle T,wit-h its attached weft-thread 1 5, with the chaiirthreads 1 and 2, forms the fabric on the side R,Wl1ll0 shuttle 8, with its attached weft-thread G, with the chain-th reads 3 and 4, forms the fabric on the side L.

The finished fabrics are indicated at 10.

17 and 18 indicate the equalizing-levers constituting the tensioirequalizing device interposed,asseembetweenthe elothandthechaitr roller 19. centers, as seen by comparison of the two figures, and have a further motion around their common center 22 of lifting and depressing, which motion, however, forms no part of the present invention. The levers are so connected together by proper mechanism that when one lever moves in one direction, as upwardly, the other lever moves in the opposite direction, as downwardly, as will be seen by comparison of the two figures. The mo tion of onelever is communicated tothe other lever in an opposite direction by means of the lug on the lever 18, which takes into a C01- responding cavity or socket on the lever 17. The particular devicescmployed for this particular purpose may be varied as desired without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The chain-th reads are not only divided into two parts to form the two paths, but they are divided into two parts with reference to the equalizing-levers 17and 18, a thread from each path or each side of the fabric or each fabric being caused to pass over one equalizin g-lever, the remaining two threads from the two fabrics being caused to pass over the other equalizing-lever,or, in other words, the portion of chain necessary to form a given fabric is taken half from one equalizing-lever and half from the other, the remaininghalves of each of the equalizing-levers being taken to form the other fabric. Thus half of the threads of each fabric pass over the same equalizing-lever, thereby insuring an absolute uniformity of tension throughout the two fabrics. The chain-threads 1 and 1-, one from each fabric, as seen, pass around the outer end of lever 17, up through the same, and down around the other end of the same, where they are indicated as coming from the chain-ro1l at 21. The threads 2 and 3, one from each fabric, as seen, likewise pass around the lever 18 and are indicated as coming from the chain-roller at 20.

The ordinary heddle-motion may be employed, and, being well known in the art, I have omitted the same, as it forms no part of my present invention.

It will be understood that heddles 11 and 13 move in the same direction at all times and are connected together, and the same is true of heddles 12 and 1-1.

These levers oscillate upon their 15 and 11) are bending-rollers interposed between the equalizing-levers and the cloth, to compensate for the different positions of l the equalizing-levers, as will be hereinafter explained.

In the first shedding, in Fig. 1, two paths 3 are formed in the chain-threads, as described, Efor the simultaneous passage of shuttles 7 i and 8 and weft-threads 5 and 6, the chainthreads 1 and 1 being carrieiil to the outside and the chain-threads 3 and 2 being carried to the center-or inside. The tendency of this movement will, of course, be to lengthen the threads 1 and TL in comparison with the threads 23 and i; but as the threads 1 and 4.- pass around the equalizing-lever 17, which is free to oscillate upon its center, as described, this movement of the threads 1 and 1 tends to oscillate the lever 17 in a direction to shorten the distance between the cloth and the chainroller-tha.t is to say, the outer end of the lever being moved up and the inner end down, the lever places itself more nearly in line with the straight line extending from the cloth to the chain roller, thereby of course shortening the path between these two points. This movement of the equalizinglever 17 by the mechanism alr ady referred to tends to move the lever 18 in an opposite direction, or in a direction to lengthen the distance between the cloth and the chain-roller, thereby taking up the slack of the threads 3 and 2, which pass around it-that is to say, the outer end of the lever moving down and the inner end moving up the lever is placed still farther out of line with the straight line extending from the cloth to the chain-roll, thereby increasing the distance between those two points. It will further be observed that the chain-thread l on the side L in extending from the heddle-eye in the heddle 14; to the equalizing-lever 17 just touches the small roller 16, while thread 1 in passing from the heddlc-eye in the heddle 11 makes a bend around the roller 15. Referring now to the same relation of the threads in Fig. 2, it will be observed that the thread 2, extending from the heddle-eye in the heddle 12, just touches roller 15 in its passage to the end of equalizing-lever 18, while thread 3, passing from the heddle-eye in hcddle 13 to the end of the equalizinglevcr 18, makes a slight bend around the roller 16. The relation of the parts in this regard. is as follows: The two rollers 15 and 16 are placed close together and equidistant between the heddlc-eyes in the extreme outward movements of the same. From the heddle-eye on the side L of Fig. 1 to the end of equalizing-lever 17 is practically a straight line, and from the heddlc-cye on the side R in Fig. 2 to the end of cqualizing-lever 18 is practically a straight line, while the two corresponding outside threads are bent around the rollers 15 in Fig. 1 and 16 in Fig. :2, which compensate for the inequality of distances due to the fact that the cqualizing-levcrs cannot practically be arranged in threads just laid.

the same vertical line, the lever 17 being in this case slightly in advance of the lever 18, so that the threads will clear eachother in passing around the levers.

The second shedding (shown'in Fig. 2) is formed by carrying thread 2 to the right and thread 3 to the left and by carrying threads 1 and 1 to the center, thus forming a plain cross in the chain-threads around the weft- This outward movement of the threads 2 and 3 lifts the outer end of equalizing-lever 18, depressing the inner end of the same, thereby shortening the path between the cloth and the chain-roller, giving out more chain to compensate for the outward movement of the threads. The movement of the equalizing-lever, as already explained, causes the equalizing-lever 17 to move in an opposite direction in such manner as to increase the distance between the cloth and the chain-roller and to take up what would otherwise be the slack of threads 1 and 4. The thread 2 on the side R now makes a straight line from the heddle-eye in heddle 12 to the equalizing-lever 18, just touching the roller 15, while the thread 3 passes around the roller 16, and threads 1 and 1 make a straight line from the heddle-eyes to the equalizing-lever 17, just touching the roller 15, occupying the same relative position to roller 15 that threads 3 and 2 occupied in Fig. 1 to roller 16. The slack due to the positions of the equalizing-levers now occurs in the outside thread 3 on the side L, where in former shedding the slack occurred in thread 1 on the side R. Through the sheddings thus formed the shuttles 7 and 8 are returned through the same paths to their original positions, shuttle 7 laying the thread 5 in the fabric on the side R and shuttle 8 laying thread 6 in the fabric on the side L. These threads when beaten up form the second pick. This process is carried on to the completion of the fabric. As the chain shortens, due to the take-up,both equalizinglevers oscillate together around the center 22. This motion of the equalizing-levers is inde pendent of the individual motion of the same to equalize the strain upon the threads. IVhen 5c the equalizing-levers have oscillated enough to set the let-off in motion, they assume their normal position.

What I claim is--- 1. In a loom, the combination, with shedding mechanism for forming two sheds in the chain-threads, said sheds having the two adjacent sides approximately in a common plane, of a tension equalizing device serving to transmit the strain of the extended threads to the threads in the common plane to secure a uniform tension of all the chain-threads.

2. In apparatus for simultaneously weaving two fabrics, a two-part tension-equalizing device and connections intermediate to such two parts, whereby each is moved by the other and in an opposite direction, in combination with shedding mechanism for forming two sheds side by side, with the inner or adjacent sides of the sheds in approximately a common plane extending from the tension device to the points of formation of the fabrics.

3. In a loom, the combination, with shedding mechanism for forming two sheds in the chain-threads side by side, of equalizing-levers movable under the tension of such chainthreads and connections between such levers, whereby each is moved by the other and in an opposite direction to secure a uniform tension on all the chain-threads.

at. In a loom, the combination, with shedding mechanism for forming two pathsin the chain-threads, of equalizing-levers movable under the strain of the chain-threads, con necting devices whereby each lever is moved by the other and in an opposite direction, and bending-rollers to equalize the strain due to the different positions of the equalizinglevers.

5. In a loom, the combination, with shedding mechanism for forming-two paths in the chain-threads, of equalizing-levers movable under the strain of the chain-threads and geared together, substantially as described, whereby each lever is moved by the other and in an opposite direction, as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of May, A. D. 1880.

WM. T. DONNELLY, WALTER T. EMERY. 

